Where can I get test results of black & white enlarging papers? Which have the highest silver content, tonal range, etc.
Printable View
Where can I get test results of black & white enlarging papers? Which have the highest silver content, tonal range, etc.
I don't know of any sources for things like silver content (and, in any event, I think Robert Henry in his book "Controls in Black and White Printing." pretty well demolished the idea that more silver translates into better paper. However, if you are really interested buy a 21 step wedge (Stouffers sells them for around $5), make prints of the wedge with whatever papers you are interested in, at varying contrasts if you are using VC paper, with different developers and/or different development times, and look at the strips after you have developed them. This will give you a lot of information about tonal ranges and D Max of various papers with different developers, development times, and contrasts. If you want to go even further you can send the strips to Darkroom Innovations. For something like $3 per test they will make densitometer readings and put the results in a computer using Phil Davis' program to give you even more information but the information you get just from eye balling the test strips after you develop them is worthwhile.